OUR STORY

The Story of The Hands Store

The Hands Store first opened its doors in Beach Haven on Long Beach Island back in 1952, founded by the original owner, Manny Hand. Before settling in Beach Haven, Manny and his wife Shirley Schwartz had spent time in Massachusetts working at Hands Curtain company.

But it was here, on LBI, that their legacy truly took root. The original Hands building, pictured here, stood proudly on the same footprint as today’s store, distinguished by its domed roof.

Sherry Neil, who began working there as a 16-year-old in 1961, recalls: “There was no A/C in that building... so you can just imagine the heat in summer... it was so hot. Shirley’s father was known as Papa Schwartz...his sons (Sid and Bud) started a store in Ship Bottom prior to the Hands store in Beach Haven.

The Golden Era

During the 1960s and 70s, Hands became a hub for clothing shoppers, so much so that the store boasted 11 dressing rooms, often with substantial lines. Clothing filled a sizable amount of the store making Hands one of the only destinations both on and off the island for a wide variety of apparel.

In the height of summer, the doors stayed open until 10 pm, with two full shifts of staff ensuring everyone found what they needed. Customers could even have anything gift-wrapped, free of charge.

Around 1965 Manny took over the Schwartz store in Ship Bottom and it’s name, much later, was changed to “Hands Ship Bottom.”

the beach at Beach Haven with a couple under an umbrella

A Store with Heart

Sherry remembers Mr. Hand not only as a businessman but as a deeply caring person: “I remember him sometimes giving money out of his own pocket for employees to be able to buy groceries; he was the most wonderful person. When my son passed away unexpectedly, Mr. Hand closed the store down, paid everyone, and had all the staff go to church for the funeral. He always put family first.”

The Beach Haven store became the distribution center for large bulk orders, which Sherry herself helped split among the four locations before eventually taking on buying and merchandising responsibilities. At its peak, Mr. Hand, Bud and Sid Schwartz owned two stores outright: the Beach Haven and Ship Bottom locations, plus they leased the properties that housed two Dellas stores in Cape May and North Cape May.

Though he lived in Cherry Hill, Mr. Hand always kept a small home on 20th Street in North Beach Haven, where he and his wife raised their four daughters: Marla, Robin, Pam, and Rinee (who still lives in Beach Haven).

Hands changes Hands

Passing the Torch

In December 1986, after 34 years at the helm, Mr. Hand sold the business to John Turner. A year later, the Ship Bottom location was officially renamed the Hands Ship Bottom Store. Mr. Turner carried the torch with passion and hard work, running the store for another 34 years. The Ship Bottom store closed in 2006, and in 2020, after devoting more than three decades of his life to Hands, Mr. Turner sold to its current owner, Sean Maxwell. Mr Turner, who also served as CEO of Turner Industries, passed away on January 1, 2025.

His obituary reads: “Philanthropy was central to John’s life. He generously provided academic scholarships to deserving students at various high schools and universities, and his acts of kindness to family and friends were legendary.”

In an extraordinary coincidence, both Mr. Hand and Mr. Turner owned the store for exactly 34 years each. Two owners across nearly seven decades, an enduring legacy few community institutions can claim.

The Hands Store Today

Sean Maxwell, who took over in 2020, is deeply mindful of the heritage he now stewards. “When we took over Hands in 2020, it became apparent, very quickly, the strength of feeling and nostalgia that the community had for the store,” he said. But while the nostalgia remains, so does the need to look ahead. As Maxwell notes with a smile, Geoffrey Chaucer’s timeless phrase, “Time and tide wait for no man”, rings especially true on LBI. “Both parts of that phrase are something we are very keenly aware of. We’ve noticed the demands and demographics of our customer base have definitely been shifting somewhat. Consequently, our inventory profile, the use of technology, and a host of other elements we’re exploring, such as online shopping, are important to the sustainability of the great Hands Store and its legacy. And, of course, this is LBI, so the occasional tidal impact is something we and the rest of the island are always at the mercy of.”

From Mr. Hand to Mr. Turner to Mr. Maxwell, Hands has always been more than a store. It’s been a thread in the fabric of LBI life, where generations shopped, worked, and gathered, and where community and family were always placed first.